The principal of a Cape Flats primary school says the community should take responsibility for the vandalism that is disrupting the lives of staff and learners at the school.
Protea Primary School situated in Prunus Street, Bonteheuwel, has become a target for vandals and late-night tik parties.
When teachers returned to the school on 15 January, they found offices, as well as toilets, flooded with water.
Taps, cables and water pipes running through the ceiling had been ripped out.
The skelms also targeted the library, but were apparently interrupted before they could carry off boxes of books that staff found stacked up in the room.
Principal Mabel Valentine says they were left without water for two days.
GEMORS: Vandals damaged offices and toilets, ripping out taps, cables and water pipes from the ceiling at Protea Primary School in Bonteheuwel
In the latest incident on Monday, at about 10pm, skelms again tried their luck.
“A woman, who lives near the school, called us to say she saw guys jump the fence. She then called the administrator of the school, who alerted the security company, and the guys were scared off by the police. They did not take anything,” says the palie.
“These men are cold and calculated and disgusting. It’s our own parents coming to the school and robbing the children of a safe, clean place of learning.
“I am horrified that this is happening.”
Valentine says following the 15 January break-in, kind neighbours, teachers and a benefactor provided water for the children, while the Western Cape Education Department installed portaloos.
GATVOL: Principal Mabel Valentine wants mense to piemp the skurke
“Our children are being robbed of their right to learn. The water was turned off and they wasted water in this drought. The taps and the pipes were stolen and the ceiling broken through. The library and the entire office was destroyed,” she says.
“These children come from difficult circumstances. The school and the environment here is supposed to be a safe place. The people who vandalise and steal our stuff are right here around us. It’s not people from other areas.”
The palie says despite difficult circumstances, they are carrying on with schooling.
She is now urging residents to piemp the skelms: “Please, parents, come tell us who they are, ons sal self die polisie inlig.”
The Western Cape Education Department’s spokesperson, Millicent Merton, condemned the acts of vandalism and said the damage was repaired.
“The school reported the matter to the Bishop Lavis Police Station. The perpetrators caused severe damage to the ablution facilities. The department provided the school with portable toilets while the repairs were under way,” said Merton.